Sand trap for oil wells



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Patented Dec. 19, 1922,

innata JAMES ALBERT WESTMOBELAND, OF VIVIAN, LOUISIANA.

SAND TRAP FOR lOIL WELLS.

Application filed April 17, 1922. Serial No.-553,'7'58.`

To ZZ w/wm t may concern.'

Be 1t known that I, JAMES A.' llirisrironn- LAND. a citizen of theUnited States,y residing at Vivian, in the parish of Caddo and#l Stateot Louisiana, 'hai/'e' inventedvcertain new and useful Improvements inSand Traps for Oil Wells; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention7 such as will enableothers skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to an ,improved sand trapfor use in conventionaltypes of oil wells and the like.

The principal object of the invention is to generally improve sand trapsfor this purpose by providing one which simply comprises a plug adaptedto be connected with a pipe coupling and to be arranged between the endsof the pipe to provide a partition,y this plug being constructed so thata valved conduit can be connected therewith for controlling the passageof the fluid therethrough.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specific-ation and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure l is an elevational view with parts broken away and shown insection, of a conventional type of oil well equipped with a sand trapconstructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the intermediate portion ofthedevice disclosing the structure of the sand trap more clearly.

, In the drawings, the usual well casing is shown as being composed of asuitable number of sections of pipe 1 connected together by the usualforms of couplings 2. The traveling valve is designated generally by thenumeral 3 and the usual combined anchor and strainer by the numeral 4t.It is between the last named part and the traveling valve that the sandtrap is preferably located and actual use of the trap has disclosed thatit will work very effectively if arranged at the juncture of the wellcasing and strainer. Therefore, I have so shown it.

To enable a clear understanding of the trap to be obtained, I willdirect especial attention to the enlarged sectional view ap-4 pearing inFig. 2. In forming the trap, I simplyrfmake use of an externallyscrewthreaded plug-5 and I arrange'this between the-ends ofthe pipe landengage thescrewthreads thereof with the` internal screwthreads of theusual coupling 2. By disposing the plug at this point, a partition isformed on which the sand settles. The plug is formed with a central bore6 and is equipped with an upstanding tubular eXtension 7 which forms anintegral .part thereof. This extension is internally screw-threaded atits upper end and a conduit 8, having a check valve 9 at its upper end,is connected thereto. The aforesaid bore 6 is internally screw-threadedat its lower end and a relatively small depending tube 10 is connectedthereto to restrict the passage of fluid and sand from below thepartition into the chamber formed bythe arrangement described.

In practice7 the end of the strainer 4; and

pipe l will be disposed in abutting relation with the plug to preventaccidental displacement thereof. In operation, the oil and sand carriedthereby is drawn through the apertures in the anchoring pipe 4 and issucked upwardly through the pipe 10 and valved conduit and the sand ispermitted to settle down and deposit on the upper side of the plug andis trapped at this point and prevented from being carried upwardly andinterferino with the operation of the traveling valve. onsequently, thelatter is rendered very effective and the usual packing cups associatedtherewith areprevented from being unduly worn.

It is obvious from the foregoing descrip-4 tion that the plug can beeasily and very inexpensively manufactured and used at the pointindicated with any suitable type of a valved conduit. In view of itseXtreme simplicity and low cost, the invention is doubtless animprovement over other prior patented and marketed inventions for thesame purpose.

By carefully considering the description in connection with thedrawings, persons familiar with devices of this class will doubtless beable to obtain a clear understanding of the invention. Therefore, a morelengthy and detailed description is deemed unnecessary.

Since probably the best results may be obtained with the constructionand arrangement herein shown and described, this is taken as preferredembodiment of the y invention. However, l Wish it to be under` stoodthat minor changes coming Within the scope of the inventionas claimedmay be resorted to if desired.

I claim: o

In a sund trap for Wells, a Combined anchor and strainer pipe, tubingor' the same diameter as said pipe, a coupling connecting said tubingwith said strainer pipe, said coupling being of uniform diameter andhaving internal screw-threads extending from end to end, a plug having athreaded periphery engaged with the threads of said coupling, said plugbeing arranged between the ends or' Said tubing and pipe to form apartition and to provide a sand trap, said '3lu y bein formed with acentral onenino' C C:

and With a neel; rising from said opening to permit the passage of theoil from the strainer into the tubing, said neck being comparativel)vsmall, and a comparatively small valved conduit connected to and risingfrom said neck.

ln testimony whereof l have hereunto set myv hand.

JAMES ALBERT l/ESTMORELAND.

